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The Nigerian Army has dismissed reports of molestation of women by its officers deployed in Ogoniland.

The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army was reacting to reports that its officers who were recently deployed in the affected areas are in the habit of molesting women.

In a statement issued by the Spokesman of the 6 division, Colonel AMINU ILIYASU, the Army described the publication as false and alleged that it was the handiwork of cultists who desperately want its troops to be removed from the area.

The army said the cultists only want to trigger a call for the withdrawal of the soldiers whose deployment and operational duties such as patrols and other activities have effectively checkmate and denied such criminals freedom to act.

He said the current restriction of movement in Ogoniland between 7pm and 6am daily is not going down well with those it described as enemies of Ogoniland whom he said had resorted to blackmail.

The Nigerian Army assured the people of Ogoni of adequate protection, urging them to disregard the reports and go about their normal businesses without fear.

“The attention of 6 Division Nigerian Army has been drawn to a malicious publication in some online media on the purported molestation of some women in ogoniland by some recently deployed soldiers.

“The Division wishes to assure the good and peace loving people of ogoniland, Rivers Indigenes and Nigerians at large that this publication is totally false, mischievous and is at best a failed and unsubstantiated attempt by some cultists and other criminal elements in ogoniland at crying wolf where there is actually none.

“Simply put, this baseless story is a calculated but failed attempt by some heartless and violent criminal cult groups in ogoniland, who are definitely behind it, to distract and possibly cause or ginger a call for the withdrawal of the troops whose deployment and operational duties such as patrols and other operational activities have served to effectively checkmate and deny such criminals freedom of action thereby assisting in restoring peace and security to the troubled area in aid of the civil authority.

“It could be recalled that, due to the incessant cult killings in Ogoniland, a stakeholders meeting was convened on 6 March 2017 with all the stakeholders including Paramount Rulers and security agencies.

“Part of the solution by the community leaders was the restriction of movement of everyone between 7:00pm to 6:00am, which is the period when these criminal cult groups perpetrate their nefarious activities and unleash terror on innocent citizens. “This decision has definitely not gone down well with enemies of the Ogoni people, hence their resort to blackmailing the troops with a false story line which they shamelessly tried to buttress with old pictures of women with placards not minding the fact that the messages on the placards are not at par with the claim of molestation of the women as portrayed in their false story.

“The authorities of 6 Division Nigerian Nigerian Army wish to strongly warn all enemies of Ogoni people to change their cause or face the wrath of the law.

“We also wish to reassure the good people of Ogoni Land of their safety and security and to advise them to go about their legitimate endeavours without any fear of intimidation or molestation.”